Incandescent-lamp socket.



No. 778,280. v PATENTED DBG. 27, 1904.

C. C. SIBLBY & G. A. LUTZ. 4 vINGANDESCEII'I LAMP SOCKET.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 24.1902.

` ATTORNEY l' UNITED STATES Patented December 2'7", 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

cLARENcE c. srRLEY, E PERTH AMRoY, NEW JERSEY, AND eEoReEv A.

- LUTZ, oE NEW YORK, N. Y. f

i ING/ANDEscENT-LAMPV SOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 778,280, dated December 27,1904. Application filed November 24, 1902. Serial No. 132,514.

wherein the switch mechanism is contained,-

and the invention contemplates the novel-details of improvement that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out inA the claims.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings,` forming part hereof, wherein;-

Figure 1 isa central sectional view of an incandescent-lampsocket embodying our improvements. Fig.Y 2 is a side view thereof, partly in section, substantially on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1, and partly broken. Figl 3 is an under side view of Fig. 1, the shells being removed. Fig. 4 is a'horizontal section on the y line 4 4 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of v the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a side view, partly in section, substantially on .the line 5 5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an under side view of the socket complete, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the key-shaft and its supporting-frame.

Similar numerals of reference indicate c orresponding parts in the severalfviews.

The numeral 1 indicates the base or body portion of an incandescentelectric lamp socket which may be made of porcelain orl other suitable' insulating material, and the ments.

hereinafter described is substantially wholly contained within said chamber and protected on substantially all sides by the insulating material of the base to avoid danger of shortside walls 4, having a transverse connecting portion forming bearings for shaft 3 and lugs 4?, that are to be connected lirmly to base 1 and also to the cylindrical screw-threaded shell 1,5, that is adapted to receive corresponding vthreads on thebase of an incandescent lamp in well-knownmanner. The bearings for keyshaft 3 are shown as struck up from the frame 4, and to this end we cut transverse slots in the connecting-piece between the walls 4 and bend two or more of the cross-strips thus formed in one direction and one or more of the cross-strips 41 in the opposite direction, curving such strips midway, and thereby providing a bearingorl journal for the shaft 3. The frame 4 is of such dimensions as to lit within chamber 2 of base 1, and the lugs 41. are adapted to aline with the bottom of base 1, and the latter is provided with apertures, as. at 1d, Fig. 4, for the passage of bolts or vscrews 6, that also pass through the apertures .or screws being locatedxwithin said recesses,

and thus within the surface of base 1, and are thus protected from contact with outside ele- The flange 5. ofy theh screw-shell 5 rests against the lugs 4h and is Vprovided'with apertures to receive the bolts or screws 6, and said iiange is thus secured by said screws or bolts 6 to lugs 41u of frame 4, and thereby'to base 1, whereby the key-shaft frame is in permanent electrical connection with the cylindrical shell 5. The key-shaft 3 is adapted to Acoact with a spring 7, which is shown secured at one end to a lug 4e, bent inwardly from one of the walls 4a of key-frame 4, said spring 7 being bent, as indicated in Fig.- 1, and lying under shaft 3. The shaft 3 is provided with a contact-piece or key-contact 8, adapted to coact with spring 7 and also with a contactspring 9, located in chamber 2 above the contact 8, so that when shaft 3 is turned properly the contact-piece 8 may close circuit between the springs 7 and 9 by engaging them.

The contact-piece or key-contact 8 wehave shown consists of a metal strip located within an aperture 3b in shaft 3, and on opposite sides of the shaft said strip is bent sidewise at 8l1 and angularly inward at 8b in opposite directions, so that the ends of 8b may bear against shaft, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 7. The ends 82L of contact 8, therefore, form surfaces to engage the springs 7 and 9 when the circuit is to be closed, and the contact 8 lies transversely between said springs when the circuit is broken, as in Fig. 2. The width of aperture 3b in shaft 3 is slightly greater than the thickness of strip 8, so that the key-contact may have a swinging or loose side motion inits aperture 3b, which will permit a q uick break or snap action infiuenced by the spring 7 when shaft 3 is turned. The construction of key-contact 8 is such that it need not have adjustment in the direction of its length on shaft 3, as the springs 7 and 9 permit proper contact to be made therewith by the contact 8. The strip forming key-contact 8, bent as described, is simple to manufacture and eicient in use.

The spring 9 is to be connected with one of the lead-wires of a circuit and bears atl one portion against the wall of chamber 2 of base 1 and is provided with a screw or bolt 1() for securing it in place, the bolt being located in a bore in the base, the upper end of said bolt being shown located in a recess 1f in base 1 and connected with a contact-strip 11, located in said recess and shown in the form of an angle-piece, having a screw 12 adapted for connection with a lead-wire, the base 1 being shown provided with a bore 1g to permit the necessary movements of screw 12. It will thus be seen that the screw or bolt 10, the angle-piece 11, and the screw 12 are located or buried within the surface of the insulatingbase 1. From the foregoing it will be understood that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the key-shaft 3 is turned so that the contact 8 will connect springs 7 and 9 the circuit in the socket will be closed from the shell 5 directly to frame 4 and thence through spring 7, contact 8, spring 9, bolt or screw 10, strip 11, and screw 12, to the line. For the opposite side of the circuit in the socket we provide base 1 with a passage-way or bore 1h, in which is located a. metal strip 14, that projects at the lower end through base 1 and is provided with a head 14, adapted to be bent sidewise beneath base 1 in position to be engaged by the contact at the end of the base of an incandescent lamp, the shell 5 being shown provided with an opening` 5" to permit the passage of the head 14. '.lhe up-- per end of the strip 14 opens into a recess 1'l in base 1, and said strip is provided with a screw 15 to receive a line-wire of the circuit. 1n the example shown in Fig. 2 the upper end of strip 14 is bent sidewise at 14 and then outwardly in recess 1'l to carry the screw 15 well within said recess. A disk or the like 20, of insulating material, such as mica, may be located above the head 14l in usual manner to prevent short-circuiting.

Vhen an incandescent lamp of usual forni is screwed into the shell 5, one side of circuit of the lamp is through shell 5 thus brought into electrical connection with thc key-frame 4 through the lugs 4" and flange 5", the circuit being adapted to be made and broken by the key-contact 8, and the other side of the circuit of the lalnp extends from its central contact to the head 14L and through strip 14 and screw 15 to the line. The strip 14 being thus embedded in base 1 is thoroughly insulated from the key-frame and the other connections of the lamp-socket.

The entire socket may be inelosed in a shell 16, provided with a cap-piece 17, covering the upper end of the socket, which maybe arranged and secured in any well-known inanner.

By means of our improvements'the cylindrical shell 5 being in permanent contact with key-frame 4 the circuit is notmade and broken between the key-frame and said shell, but on the side of the frame opposite said shell at the contact or spring 9. Thus the best electrical contact is maintained between the keyframe and shell 5. Furthermore, the operative parts and connections are wholly inclosed within the insulating-base, so that danger o i1" short-circuiting is avoided.

Having now described our invention, what we claim is- 1. An incandescent-lamp socket having a base, a metallic shell for connection with a lamp, a key-frame having a portion exposed on the outer face of said base, the shell having an extension bearing against said exposed portion of said frame, a key, and connections for making and breaking a circuit of the lamp by said key, substantially as described.

2. An incandescent-lamp socket having a base provided with a chamber, a kcy-fran'ie located in said chamber and having a portion exposed on the outer face of the base, a luetallic shell overlying and secured to said exposed portion of said frame and adapted to receive a lamp, a key, and connections for making and breaking the circuit by the key, substantially as described.

3. An incaiulesccnt-lamp socket having a IOC IIO

tion with a lamp. a key, and connections for controlling the circuit thereby, substantially as described. f

4;. Anincandescent-lamp socket having an insulating-base provided with a chamber, a key-frame located in said chamber and having lugs exposed on the outer face of and alined with the material of said base, a metallic shell overlying and connected with said lugs and adapted for connection with a lamp, means for securing said shell, lugs and frame to said base, a key, and connections for controlling the circuit thereby, substantially as described 1 Y 5. An incandescent-lamp socket having an insulating-base provided with a chamber having one side closed by the material of the base and an opening at the other side for the passage of a key-shaft, a key-frame located in said chamber, a screw-threaded shell extending from the base and permanently electrically connected with said frame, a key, and connections for controlling the circuit thereby, substantially as described. p

6. An incandescent-lamp socket having a base, a key-.frame carried thereby and having,

a portion exposed on the outer face of the base, a metallic shell overlying and connected with said frame, means for securing the frame and shell to the outer face of the base, a spring secured to said frame, a key provided with a contact to coact with said spring, and a contact carried by the base to coact with said keycontact, substantially as described.

7. A frame for an incandescent-lamp-socket key-shaft comprising two sides connected by a plurality of strips respectively bent in opposite directions forming a bearing for the key-shaft, substantially as described.

8. A frame for an incandescent-l am p-socket key-shaft comprising two sides connected by a plurality of strips respectively bent in opposite directions forming a bearing-for the key-shaft, and lugs extending from said sides for holding the frame upon a base, substantially as described.

9. A frame for an incandescent-lamp-socket key-shaft comprising two sides connected by a plurality of strips respectively bent in opposite directions forming a bearing for the key-shaft, lugsextending from said 'sides for holding the frame upon a base, and a lug extendinginwardly from one of the sides for connection with a spring, substantially as described.

10. An incandescent-lamp socket having an insulating-base provided with a chamber, a key-frame having a plurality of strips respectively bent in opposite directions forming a bearing for hthe key-shaftl and provided with outwardly-extending lugs alined with portions of the base, said frame having an inwardlyextending lug, a spring connected with said lug, and a key-shaft carried by said frame and provided with la contact-piece to coact with said spring, substantially as described.

11. A key for an incandescent-lamp socket comprising a shaft having a slot and a contact consisting of a strip passing through said slot and bent backwardly at opposite ends of the shaft, the ends of the strip extending toward the shaft, substantially as described. 12. A keyfor an incandescent-lamp socke comprising a shaft having a slot and a strip ying said contact, said bore leading from said chamber to a recess in the outer surface of the base, and a metal strip located in said recess and connected with said bolt or screw said strip being of angle form and having a screw located in said recess for connection with a line-wire,'substantially as described.

14. A base for an incandescent-lamp socket comprising a block made of a single piece of insulating material provided with a chamber opening through one end of the block having one side entirely closed by the material of the block and provided with a slot in the opposite side wall opening through the end of the block forming a partially-closed wall, substantially as described. v

15. A base for an' incandescent-lamp socket I comprising a block made of a single piece of insulating material provided with a chamber IOO IIO

opening through one end of the block, having I one side entirely closed by the material of the block, and provided with a slot in the opposite side wall openingthrongh the end of the block forming apartially-closed wall, said base also having a bore extending longitudinally in the same independent of the chamber and opening through opposite ends thereof,

said base also having a recess at one end of the bore in communicationtherewith, substancated outside of said frame, substantially :is

tially as described. described.

17. In an incandescent-lamp socket a key- CLARENCE C. SlILEY. frame comprising :sides` having Cross-pieces GEORGE A. LUTZ. 5 bent t0 form bearings, a shaft journaled in fitnesse said bearings and projecting therebeyond, and T. E BOURNE,

a. contact-piece carried by said shaft and 10- I. E. MCKIGNEY. 

